The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-20
POLITICAL OUTLAWS.
HOW KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN
CIRCLE TOOK TO THE ROAD,

& Band of Them Surprised in Santa
Clara County-What CONSERVATION
One Lone Man and a Pistol Caused
The Quantrell Gang.
From the San Francisco Post.
''My thoughts on criminal reforma That
is not question to be answered in a mo-
ment," said the Judge. THAT they do and
can reform / believe, but it is very hard
matter in the place where they sinned, where
their character was lost, to ever regain it.
Philanthropists have many theory about
it and a number of books have been written
on the subject, but have never known of a
single case of mans coming out of prison
and taking up his life among his old asso-
ciates and old surroundings and living down
contempt and suspicion until he stands re-
cognized as an honest man. The odds are
greatly against him; so, when man who
has made one false step, or a dozen, makes
I'D his mind to reform, he usually goes far
away from the scene of his sin-tears out
the black page of his life and begins on an
other.
81 know of number who have done that.
know of one in this state now
"When was Sheriff / received informa-
ton from Lawrence, Kas.-a letter from the
Sheriff there requesting me to quietly watch
this man and await further orders He was
a member of QuantrelIS gang, and assisted
at the burning and sacking of that town,
but witnesses were required to prove his
identity. These they found some difficulty
in obtaining, so nothing was done about it,
He has married a rich woman and is quite a
prominent man-State Senator at one time
from the locality in which he lives; and has
never, to my knowledge, committed a
second offense. It is singular how perverted
mems minds become in time of war
how willingly and enthusiastically they
will do things that in times of peace they
would shrink from in unutterable horror
Now. that Bullion Bend robbery was really
political scheme, led by another of Guam
trell's men, R. Henry Ingram. He was de-
cidedly a superior man for desperado not
only that he had nerve they all have that,
but he had GOODNESS, sagacity and an indomi-
table will, besides good education and easy,
suave magnetic manners. After his fight
from Lawrence he found his way into
Mexico There he made the acquaintance
of a farmer lad, George Baker by name. who
weakly eSpoused the Southern cause, while
too cowardly to actually JOIN the ranks and
fight He told Ingram that a number of
good and true men had collected near San
Jose, as violent partisans of the Confeder-
acy, and were willing to start out on an ex-
petition, provided they could have suitable
leader.
''This knowledge was a bonanza to In
gram who came Immediately to San Jose,
accompanied by Bak =, and had an inter
view with the Knights of the Golden Circle
in their rendezvous in the mountains be-
tween San Jose and Santa Cruz The po-
litical caldron at that time was boiling, be-
ing stirred alternately by Democrats and
Republicans, so they had to observe great
gecrecy in their movements
II had suspected for some time that some
thing was wrong, and was determined to
ferret it out, if possible. A little way from
the trail in the Santa Cruz Mountains, l
found a clearing in the chapparal brush,
which grew there to quite a height, some s
or 10 feet. In this clearing large enough to
conceal thirty menn where the ashes of
camp fire. 1t might have been built either
by hunters or these knights of the Golden
Circle. My presumption was that it was
the latter, and determined to watch, telling
only one friend in the little village Of Sara
toga where to look for me in case did not
return. The next day departed, accom-
panied only by my trIlsty six-shooter; that
knew could be depended upon to speak at
the proper time. went early and in a
roundabout way to avoid suspicion for l
knew my life would be worth no more than
a rats if I were caught.
"Ihey mad selected an unusually secluded
SPOT, the spur of the mountain protecting
them on one side from the view of the vii
lage, while the thick pines and chaparral
hid them completely on the other | settled
myself i'll a comfortable position, from
whence | could command a view of the
whole company, grasped my siX-shooter and
i waited. Pretty soon they began to gather
i by twos and threes until quite crowd had
4 collected, and, sure enough, it was Just as |
hoI AAI Al ~
/ Crcle, and among them some of the most
. prominent men in San Jose. They soon
began discussing ways and means. Money
was to be distributed in the South and a
company of horsemen formed, with In
gram as Captain. The company was to be
sent to Texas. The money or life of no
Union man was to be considered sacred
For once impulse got the better of me- |
cooked my pistol and pointed it toward the
leader, thinking how easily | could silence
MS boastful words, and, inwardly much ex-
cited, | scIutinized the band. They were
rom all chimes and conditions, and with all
grades OF intelligence, from the swarthy,
low proved man, with his massive frame,
the perfect embodiment of brute force, up
TO the slender, well-formed and polished
gentleman, with his broad high brow and
low, full voice.
How much there is in Voicesl Whether
one catches the words OF not, the very
htonatlon denotes character. As | was
saying, lay there for a full minute with
my pistol cooked, hesitating whether to
shoot or not; then discretion overcame my
valor, for could not hope to war success
iuliy against such odds, and attempted to
uacock my weapon, but as did so it went
on In the air, and you never saw such a
Stampede! Some sprang to their
a ieet and looked wildly around;
some crawled on all tours to-
ward the brush; others lay fat on their
SVoinachs i'll paralyzed fear; but finally all
made their way to their horses, which were
ued In an opposite direction from where |
was. 1t was all / could do to keep from
angling at the absurd appearance they
presented, but my own case was hazardous,
i - mad but one come in my direction and
discovered me this story would probably
never have been told or my fate known
Dut Providence and their own fear pro-
tected me.
In half an hour all was still, and made
NY way home, but it was this surprise that
!. mace them change their place Of meeting
" the east of San Jose and not their inten-
. slon OF raiding the town, as the newspapers
II'av to at the time. For sanitary reasons |
sacpt silent about the scare / had given
iSIeih. still watched and waited. You
a an9w the old proverb, give thief rope
, uiu ne Will hang HIMSELF it was verified in
S slis case as to members of the gang Grant
, unH craft got into a quarrel over Crafts